Ravenous Reed

Last week, a crowd of anxious New Yorkers gathered to watch the iconic rock-n-roller Lou Reed read from his beautifully illustrated new book “The Raven,” published by Fantagraphics Books. “The Raven” is an artistic and literary transformation of Reed’s 2003 album of the same name, a musical dramatization of the tales and poetry of Edgar Allan Poe. The artwork for the book was done by the Italian illustrator (and frequent New Yorker contributor) Lorenzo Mattotti.

The event took place in the rare-book room of the Strand, where an array of nineteenth-century books served as a fitting backdrop for the reading. There was an underlying trace of rosin and musty wood fibre coming from the slowly degrading pages of antiquarian paper—a room I imagine Poe might have gotten all giddy over (that is, of course, if he were capable of giddiness). Reed read from a few favorites: “The Raven,” “The City in the Sea,” and “Annabel Lee.” Mattotti’s illustrations, which were projected in a slide show, saturated the room with a kind of terror and despair. There was also something about the sound and sudden fits of fury in Reed’s voice that seemed to mirror Poe’s tormented vision.

A brief Q. & A. followed the reading. When asked which Poe character Reed identified with the most, he answered, “The man from ‘The Raven.’ The pain, the anxiety … he just captures a certain segment in everybody—unless you’re a loony.” Then, after elaborating on a question about his own theories about Poe’s mysterious death, Reed concluded that it was probably an unpleasant one—“the kind where you can see the end coming, much like that of Alexander McQueen.”

As the night drew to a close, I got in line to get my book signed by Reed. Up close, he looked something like a perfect rock-star wax figure, with dark curly hair that exalted his black leather jacket; I thought he almost looked like a raven himself. When it came my turn, he asked, “Is your name really Vanna?” “Yes, my mother was a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fan,” I told him. Reed let out a playful, sly grin: “Keep that to yourself.” Yes, Lou, I thought to myself as he signed and snapped the book shut, it will be mentioned again nevermore.

A slide show of images from “The Raven” appears below (click to enlarge):

The beautiful hardcover is designed by the Grammy-nominated designer Jesse LeDoux.

A convulsive illustration of “The Fall of the House of Usher.”

Lorenzo Mattotti skillfully brings out the terror and elegance of Reed and Poe’s joint masterwork.

While the book is mostly an interpretation of Poe’s works, it also integrates songs by Reed that were inspired by Poe, such as “Perfect Day” and “The Bed.”

Perhaps the most dreaded of all birds: “Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore.’”

The book is an aesthetically stunning treat—but it isn’t only for the coffee table. Mattotti’s artwork is as enigmatic and suspenseful as the poetry itself.